Hay-fork.



No. 799,231. PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905.

' S. W. GATES.

HAY FORK.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15, 1904.

awuewtoz UNITED STATES SILAS GATES, OF BIGTIB'IBER, MON

IN A.

HAY-FORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1905.

Application filed August 15, 1904. Serial No. 220,875.

To all whom it nm/y concern:

Be it known that I, SILAS W. GATES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bigtimher, in the county of Sweet Grass and State ofMontana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hay-Forksand Ido declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in hay-forks; and it consists inthe construction, combination, and arrangement of devices hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a horsehay-fork embodying my improvements, showing the same open. Fig. 2 is atransverse sectional view of the same, showing the fork closed. Fig. 3is a detail section taken on the plane indicated by the line a a of Fig.2 and showing the fork closed.

The ends of the tines 1 2 of my improved fork, which are oppositelycurved, as shown, are pivoted between the crossplates 3 4 by means ofrivets or other suitable devices 28, which connect the ends of the saidcross plates together, the tines lying in the spaces between the saidcross-plates. The crossplates 4 are secured to the ends of a bar 5. Thesaid tines are respectively provided with upwardly-extending arms 6 7,the up- I er ends of which are bent toward each other aterally withrespect to the tines, as at 9 10, and are secured to the outer sides ofhandle bars 11 12, respectively. I also provide a suitable number ofpairs of intermediate tines 13, one pair of such tines being here shownas disposed midway between the end tines. The said intermediate tineshave upwardly-extending arms 14, which are secured to the handle-bars 1112, and the said intermediate tines are pivotally connected to the bar 5by means of hooks 15, which are secured to the said intermediate tinesby bolts 16. The said intermediate tines may be increased in numberaccording to the size of the fork and the kind of hay to be handled bythe fork. To one of the handlebars, at the center thereof, is attachedone end of the hoisting rope or chain 17. The same engages a sheave 18,carried by a hook 19, which is adapted to engage akeeper 20, with whichthe handle-bar 11 is provided, said keeper being on the inner side ofthe center The hoisting rope of the said handle-bar.

or chain also engages a sheave 2]. in a block 22, which is connected tothe center of the handle-bar 12 by a link 23 and an eyebolt 24.

It will be understood that when the rope or chain is operated to hoistthe fork it will first by its coaction with the sheaves connected to therespective handlebars of the fork move said handlebars toward eachother, and thereby close the tines of the fork, so as to engage themwith the hay, and thus load the fork therewith. WVhen the fork islowered and the hoisting rope or chain slackened, the fork may be openedby drawing upon the rope 25, which is here shown as attached to a link26, which is connected to the center of the handle-bar 11 by an eye bolt27.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the inventionwill be readily understood without requiring a more extendedexplanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A fork of the class described, comprising a rod having cross-platesat its ends, end tines pivotally connected in pairs to the said crossplat-es, said end tines having arms forming extensions at their upperends, handlebars to which the said arms are attached, and intermediatetines connected to the said rod and having arms secured to the saidhandlebars, substantially as described.

2. A hay-fork of the class described, comprising a rod havingcross-plates at its ends, pairs of end tines pivotally connected to thesaid cross-plates and having upwardly-extending arms, handlebars towhich the said upwardly-extending arms are secured, intermediate tineshaving arms secured to the said handlebars and further provided withpivotal devices connecting them to the saidrod, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

SILAS WV. GATES. lVitnesses:

CHAS. R. GATES, J. A. ELLIOT.

